Target-ball



(No Model.)

J. POWELL.

TARGET BALL. No. 250,101. Patented Nov. 29,1881.

WTN 1 www- N. PETERS. Photaivxhogmphar, WJlYunglOu. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES POWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TARGET- BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,101, dated November 29,- 1881.

Application filed August 4, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs Po\vELL,ot' Ohicago, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Target-Balls; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel construction in target-balls.

It consists, 'first, and essentially, in a closed spherical shellof paper or other light material adapted to be easily punctured when struck by a shot, and filled, or partially filled, with a powder adapted to float in the air as a cloud when the ball is struck and punctured.

It further consists in a composition for the powder to be used in the ball, and in other features hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure shows a complete ball containing my improvements. Fig. 2 shows, in perspective, a hemispherical portion of a paper shell for the ball. Fig. 3 is a central section of a ball composed of frame and cover, showing a body of powder therein; and Fig. 4 is a special form of wire frame which I prefer to others, when a frame is employed at all.

To first describe the frame shown in Fig. 4, said frame consists of a wire havingthe straight portion 13 as long as the diameter of the ball. From the point I the wire is bent backward about the part B in the surface of a sphere to form the ribs A, and the ends of the wire are joined at J. The wire B prevents the collapse of the coil in the direction of its axis.

0, Fig. 2, is a hemispherical paper shell of proper size to fit upon the frame A. Two such hemispheres form the complete shell ofthe ball, one overlapping the other at their edges, so that one of them being gummed about its margin, as shown at F, the two are readily joined and secured to form the sphere.

Before joinin g the hemispherical parts of the shell the first half (with the frame in place therein, if used) may be filled with a light fine powder. The second half being then applied and secured, as described, the ball is complete.

I prefer to make the shell of paper having a facing of tin-foil or other bright-surfaced material; or the foil or bright facing, if used, may be applied to the shell after it is joined. The advantage of the bright surface is that the ball is more readily seen in some lights-as, for example, in cloudy weather or at dusk, while the foil covering does not prevent the shell from being punctured by the shot.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings, P may represent the paper, and T the tin-foil.

If preferred, the covering 0 may be applied to the frame E in the form of one broad central zone and two polar caps, in which case the zone would be applied to that form of frame shown in Fig. 4:, as a strip previously molded to shape, encircling the frame in the direction of the straight wire B. By applying such a strip and one cap-piece before putting in the powder D the completed ball may be more nearly filled, which is sometimes desirable.

It will be evident that a shell of paper or similar material, with or without a foil coverin g, will be easily ruptured by a shot striking it at any angle with the surface. Upon the rupture of the shell a small quantity of the contained powder will fly out, making a puff or cloud, indicating at once and clearly to the eye, even at a distance, that the ball has been hit. As but little of the powder will escape at each shot, the ball may be repeatedly used.

I have determined, after experiment, that finely-pulverized magnesia and lamp-black or charcoal constitutes a specially suitable material with which to charge the balls, owing to their light specific gravity. The proportions of these substances may vary widely; but I prefer, say, two-thirds charcoal and one-third magnesia. Two functions are effected by such a compound, each of which is new. First, the cloud produced thereby is dark, and consequently more distinctly defined and readily discernible than a purely white cloud,varying, of course, in this respect with the proportion of white and black substances employed; sec ond, the charcoal prevents the packing of the magnesia when the ball is exposed to moisture.

With heavy paper for the shell the inner frame may be dispensed with.

I am aware that paper shells sustained in form by inner frames is not new; that shells of light material have been weighted with heavy matter inserted therein for the purpose; that feathers have been placed inside opennecked glass balls to escape and float in the air when the ball is broken into fragments by a shot, and that metal balls have been used which may have had a bright surface. I do not therefore broadly claim these features.

I claim as my invention- 1. A target ball consisting of a closed spherical shellof paper or similar material susceptible of being punctured on being struck with a shot and containing a powder adapted to escape through the shot-hole, and to disperse to form a cloud in the air, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. A target-ball consisting of a paper shell having a superficial coating or outer surface of tin-foil or similar bright substance, substantially as described, and for the purposes stated. 20

3. A closed target-ball containing a powder compounded of magnesia and charcoal, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The spherical skeleton-frame, Fig. 4, consistin g of the diametrical part B and the spher- 2 5 ical part A, coiled about and joined with the straight part B, combined with the shell, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 affix my signature in presence 0 of two witnesses.

JAMES POWELL.

Witnesses:

M. E. DAYTON, J nssn 00X, Jr. 

